The black panthers

The 36-year-old Bamba, who most recently appeared in "Black Panther," is one of 700,000 "Dreamers" -- immigrants brought illegally to America as children who were protected by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. "For a while, I wanted to share my story but I was paralyzed in fear," he said in an interview with AFP as he picked up a human rights award in Los Angeles from the American Civil Liberties Union. "I just didn't want to ruffle any feathers. I didn't want to put my career on the line, and even my family on the line." Bamba's family fled political instability in the west African state of Ivory Coast in 1993 and he arrived in the US when he was 10. Bamba then spent his teenage years between New York's South Bronx and Richmond, Virginia. The young French speaker learned English quickly and got into New York's Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, driving taxis to pay the fees. It was during the college applications process, when Bamba was thinking … [Read more...] about The ‘Black Panther’ actor who is an undocumented ‘Dreamer’

By Elahe Izadi The Washington Post Fri., Feb. 23, 2018 Black Panther is a mass-appeal superhero movie, breaking box-office records with its dazzling special effects, heart-pumping fight scenes and charismatic characters brought to life by a predominantly black cast. It also tells a story laden with some pretty complex and specific references that you may or may not immediately notice. Here are a few things to know after watching Black Panther. The Oakland connection While most of Black Panther takes place in Wakanda and South Korea, we get to see Oakland, Calif., in 1992 and in the present day. The Bay Area city, which serves as some Wakandans’ American home base, is a fitting choice for the film. While Harlem is the American city used in the comics, it was a personal choice for writer-director Ryan Coogler to use Oakland, his hometown, as the connection instead. The first scene that Coogler wrote was the opening scene that takes place there in the early … [Read more...] about Already seen Black Panther? You might have missed these references

caption Erik Killmonger in “Black Panther.” source Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures The “Black Panther” character Erik Killmonger is such a compelling villain that #KillmongerWasRight was trending on Twitter after the film’s release. Many Twitter users expressed sympathy with Killmonger’s argument. Michael B. Jordan’s turn as the “Black Panther” villain Erik Killmonger has earned praise from critics and fans alike as one of the most compelling supervillain performances in movie history since the film’s release last week. What makes the plight of Killmonger so compelling for both critics and fans is the strength of his argument despite his violent methods. And the strength of Michael B. Jordan’s sympathetic performance as the character is also a major factor, as Business Insider’s Jason Guerrasio noted in his review of the film. Many fans of the … [Read more...] about ‘Black Panther’ villain Erik Killmonger is so compelling that #KillmongerWasRight was trending on Twitter

caption Ryan Coogler and Lupita Nyong’o attend the ‘Black Panther’ premiere source Getty Ryan Coogler, the director of “Black Panther,” shared an emotional letter thanking fans for their support of his movie. In addition to breaking records, “Black Panther” inspired a pop culture phenomenon. “Never in a million years did we imagine that you all would come out this strong,” Coogler wrote. In its first four days in theaters, “Black Panther” broke multiple records, and inspired a pop culture revolution. On Tuesday, director Ryan Coogler thanked fans for their support in an emotional letter. “Deep down we all hoped that people would come to see a film about a fictional country on the continent of Africa, made up of a cast of people of African descent,” Coogler wrote. In Brooklyn, New York, a man proposed to his girlfriend before … [Read more...] about ‘Black Panther’ director Ryan Coogler says support for the movie has moved him to tears, and shared an emotional thank-you letter to fans

As Black Panther gets set to rule the box office, the appetite for more about the character can easily be satiated by going to your local or digital comics shop. (After all, a film sequel, however likely one seems, will take some time.)Here are some of the essential comics for those looking for more of the King of Wakanda and his coterie of characters. 1. Black Panther (1998) written by Christopher PriestThis almost 60-issue run is considered the essential series about T'Challa, and was the first time a black creator got to write the character. This is the series — remembered for its sneaky and complex tales — where the character gets his due as Marvel's version of Batman. Officially known as Black Panther Vol. 3, Priest introduced several well-known aspects of the characters and Wakanda — like the all-female royal bodyguard crew known as the Dora Milaje, as well as Everett Ross, a white fish-out-of-water inspired by Matthew Perry’s character in Friends — … [Read more...] about Want more Black Panther after the movie? Here are the comics to grab